Fish Oil Better Than Ritalin for ADHD

Diet and Nutrition
1

Fish oil improves the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) without any of the side effects of drugs like Ritalin and Concerta – and more effectively, a study by the University of Adelaide in Australia found.

When 130 children between the ages of 7 and 12 with ADHD were given fish oil capsules daily, behavior dramatically improved within three months. Further:

After seven months, the children were not as restless and showed improvements at school
Improvements in concentration and attention improved by one-third

After 15 weeks, 30-40 percent of the children taking fish oil had improvements
After 30 weeks, 40-50 percent improved
Children taking placebo capsules were later switched to fish oil and subsequently also experienced improved behavior

Improvements were still being seen after the study ended, which suggests the fish oils may have long-term effects. When the researchers compared their results to studies of Ritalin and Concerta for ADHD, they found that fish oils were more effective.

ADHD drugs are known to carry serious side effects, including insomnia, changes in personality, cardiotoxicity, heart attack, stroke and even sudden death. In the UK, nine children have died after taking the drugs.

If anyone you know has ADHD,please send them this post.

Thankyou,Cthulhu

2

do you know where we can find the study or a news report on it?

3

Would be interesting to see if it works in adults as well. I take fish oil but my ass is still ADD, maybe I should up the dose of fish oil and see if it helps!

4

I suspect in mostly has to do with insulin senstitivy, and highs and lows and energy crashes.

5

[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
Would be interesting to see if it works in adults as well. I take fish oil but my ass is still ADD, maybe I should up the dose of fish oil and see if it helps![/quote]

How much Fish Oil do you take?

I have read many studies about Fish Oil effecting the brain in a very positive way. But the dosages were in the 6 to 9 Gram area.

6

I’m pretty sure I’m in the 4-5gram area, I’ll up the does and see if over the next coupl eof month it has any effect. I would think it does b/c since I have been taking fish oil and Power Drive I may have to take my medicine once a week now.

7

[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
Would be interesting to see if it works in adults as well. I take fish oil but my ass is still ADD, maybe I should up the dose of fish oil and see if it helps![/quote]

No offence or anything,but maybe it’s your over all diet,and not just how much fish oil you take.
I’ve dealt with kids that take medication for ADD,and after a while they have to take it in higher doeses becauses their body has become used to the dosage they’ve been taking.
It’s a hole that can be very heard to get out of.
Fish oil CAN work because I’ve seen it work at health wellness centers.
But,you have to practice good nutrition as well too.
Most kids that I’ve seen that have ADD eat a lot of junk food,and poor quality meat that are full of synthetic hormones-like fast food(which I also believe effects us in many ways).
There is so much thats being researched right now on how your natrual hormones and how they’re effected by life style changes and how they’re everything.
Fish oil works in conjunction with a HEALTHY diet.
It doesn’t hurt to make sure your fish oil is high quality either.

Cthulhu

8

[quote]CrewPierce wrote:
I’m pretty sure I’m in the 4-5gram area, I’ll up the does and see if over the next coupl eof month it has any effect. I would think it does b/c since I have been taking fish oil and Power Drive I may have to take my medicine once a week now.[/quote]

so, you find Power Drive helps your ADD?

9

[quote]Cthulhu wrote:
No offence or anything,but maybe it’s your over all diet,and not just how much fish oil you take.
[/quote]

Check out www.adhddiet.com for info on changing the diet. We have our fmaily on it and it has been a HUGE improvement for my son, especially.

Fish oils in his diet (2/day) helps, too. I know SEVERAL kids that this has worked for. (Diet and fish oils combined.)

[quote]
Fish oil CAN work because I’ve seen it work at health wellness centers.
But,you have to practice good nutrition as well too.
Most kids that I’ve seen that have ADD eat a lot of junk food,and poor quality meat that are full of synthetic hormones-like fast food(which I also believe effects us in many ways).
There is so much thats being researched right now on how your natrual hormones and how they’re effected by life style changes and how they’re everything.
Fish oil works in conjunction with a HEALTHY diet.
It doesn’t hurt to make sure your fish oil is high quality either.

Cthulhu[/quote]

Right on. Absolutely right on.

My kids eat healtheir than most we know and we’ve been made fun of for it. People think our foods taste “too healthy” or are “gross”. Well, fine, think what you want. But you know what? My kids aren’t gorging on cheetos and kool-aid and running around like wild maniacs, tearing the place up, mouthing off, and being violent little brats, either. That’s just behavioral issues. They also don’t have dark circles or bags under their eyes, skin blemishes, headaches, and the like unless they have something artificial.

10

Basically, what the government and, medical and psychtatric industries are giving to our children, diagnosed with so-called ‘ADD’, is plain and simple - pharmaceutical grade amphetamines. SPEED. That’s all it is. A performance and focus-enhancing drug with good short term effects that, on the other hand, also has addictive potential and can cause long term problems.

I don’t know, with all these double standards in society, why can’t people see what’s going on? We give children drugs that are illegal because they are considered to be too dangerous for adults to take safely. Like amphetamines. Or even steroids. Personally, I’m not against such substances if taken by people who know what they are doing; use them with respect, and do them properly, but I do believe it is wrong to diagnose and stigmatize children with some kind of neurological or physical disease, and then give them these so-called dangerous drugs!

I recently read that Organon, the manufacturer of Sustanon 250, is marketing a weight gain drug for starving children in 3rd world countries called ‘Fertabolin’. It’s an anabolic steroid contained in a sweet-tasting oral syrup!

I think that if Fish Oil works better than ADD drugs, then yes, there definitely are better natural alternatives out there for children and people who are diagnosed with this ‘disorder’.

11

I agree with everything you said.
Children shouldn’t be taking these dangerous drugs.
All they are is legalized dope.
I wish people would educate themselves on how corrupt the FDA really are.
They don’t do their job well.
They regulate dangerous,deadly,toxic drugs KNOWINGLY putting them on the market knowing they cause disease and other health problems.
All they want is money,and to stay in business.
And they’ll do whatever it takes.
They won’t even make food companies take out trans fat(which I believe can cause ADHD symptoms too).
There are even food additives that can cause ADD and MS symptoms in children!
They won’t make these dangerous chemicals that is being put in our food supply illegal because all they want is money,and they get paid off by other companies to do so.

I wish people would start realizing how dangerous this really is.

Cthulhu

[quote]John Blaze wrote:
Basically, what the government and, medical and psychtatric industries are giving to our children, diagnosed with so-called ‘ADD’, is plain and simple - pharmaceutical grade amphetamines. SPEED. That’s all it is. A performance and focus-enhancing drug with good short term effects that, on the other hand, also has addictive potential and can cause long term problems.

I don’t know, with all these double standards in society, why can’t people see what’s going on? We give children drugs that are illegal because they are considered to be too dangerous for adults to take safely. Like amphetamines. Or even steroids. Personally, I’m not against such substances if taken by people who know what they are doing; use them with respect, and do them properly, but I do believe it is wrong to diagnose and stigmatize children with some kind of neurological or physical disease, and then give them these so-called dangerous drugs!

I recently read that Organon, the manufacturer of Sustanon 250, is marketing a weight gain drug for starving children in 3rd world countries called ‘Fertabolin’. It’s an anabolic steroid contained in a sweet-tasting oral syrup!

I think that if Fish Oil works better than ADD drugs, then yes, there definitely are better natural alternatives out there for children and people who are diagnosed with this ‘disorder’.[/quote]

12

[quote]ThatGirl77 wrote:
Cthulhu wrote:
No offence or anything,but maybe it’s your over all diet,and not just how much fish oil you take.

Check out www.adhddiet.com for info on changing the diet. We have our fmaily on it and it has been a HUGE improvement for my son, especially.

Fish oils in his diet (2/day) helps, too. I know SEVERAL kids that this has worked for. (Diet and fish oils combined.)

Fish oil CAN work because I’ve seen it work at health wellness centers.
But,you have to practice good nutrition as well too.
Most kids that I’ve seen that have ADD eat a lot of junk food,and poor quality meat that are full of synthetic hormones-like fast food(which I also believe effects us in many ways).
There is so much thats being researched right now on how your natrual hormones and how they’re effected by life style changes and how they’re everything.
Fish oil works in conjunction with a HEALTHY diet.
It doesn’t hurt to make sure your fish oil is high quality either.

Cthulhu

Right on. Absolutely right on.

My kids eat healtheir than most we know and we’ve been made fun of for it. People think our foods taste “too healthy” or are “gross”. Well, fine, think what you want. But you know what? My kids aren’t gorging on cheetos and kool-aid and running around like wild maniacs, tearing the place up, mouthing off, and being violent little brats, either. That’s just behavioral issues. They also don’t have dark circles or bags under their eyes, skin blemishes, headaches, and the like unless they have something artificial.[/quote]

It’s great to see a mother who takes pride in what her kids eat.
Is your son still on ADD medication?
If so,what brand is he using.
Alsom,I think you’d be better off givng him 4-8 fish oil a day.
It’s absorbed much better that way.

13

[quote]Cthulhu wrote:
I agree with everything you said.
Children shouldn’t be taking these dangerous drugs.
All they are is legalized dope.
I wish people would educate themselves on how corrupt the FDA really are.
They don’t do their job well.
They regulate dangerous,deadly,toxic drugs KNOWINGLY putting them on the market knowing they cause disease and other health problems.
All they want is money,and to stay in business.
And they’ll do whatever it takes.
They won’t even make food companies take out trans fat(which I believe can cause ADHD symptoms too).
There are even food additives that can cause ADD and MS symptoms in children!
They won’t make these dangerous chemicals that is being put in our food supply illegal because all they want is money,and they get paid off by other companies to do so.

I wish people would start realizing how dangerous this really is.

Cthulhu[/quote]

Welcome to the truth about capitalism.

14

Haha man I don’t look at a thread for less than a day and I get flamed!

Ok so to address the first issue my diet is very good. I eat clean, high protein, high complex carbs, very little in the way of stimulants (i.e. caffeine and sugars) and more than enough fruits and greens. Btw, I am trying to gain weight.

Second issue, I don’t take it every day for the above-mentioned reason, tolerance. I have never gone above 10mg Ritalin dose since I have started taking it.

Third, I have found Power Drive mixed with a low dose of caffeine to help me.

Fourth, stop referring to me as a kid, or implying such by mentioning studies done on kids. I’m 22.

15

[quote]Cthulhu wrote:
I agree with everything you said.
Children shouldn’t be taking these dangerous drugs.
All they are is legalized dope.
I wish people would educate themselves on how corrupt the FDA really are.
They don’t do their job well.
They regulate dangerous,deadly,toxic drugs KNOWINGLY putting them on the market knowing they cause disease and other health problems.
All they want is money,and to stay in business.
And they’ll do whatever it takes.
They won’t even make food companies take out trans fat(which I believe can cause ADHD symptoms too).
There are even food additives that can cause ADD and MS symptoms in children!
They won’t make these dangerous chemicals that is being put in our food supply illegal because all they want is money,and they get paid off by other companies to do so.

I wish people would start realizing how dangerous this really is.

Cthulhu
John Blaze wrote:
Basically, what the government and, medical and psychtatric industries are giving to our children, diagnosed with so-called ‘ADD’, is plain and simple - pharmaceutical grade amphetamines. SPEED. That’s all it is. A performance and focus-enhancing drug with good short term effects that, on the other hand, also has addictive potential and can cause long term problems.

I don’t know, with all these double standards in society, why can’t people see what’s going on? We give children drugs that are illegal because they are considered to be too dangerous for adults to take safely. Like amphetamines. Or even steroids. Personally, I’m not against such substances if taken by people who know what they are doing; use them with respect, and do them properly, but I do believe it is wrong to diagnose and stigmatize children with some kind of neurological or physical disease, and then give them these so-called dangerous drugs!

I recently read that Organon, the manufacturer of Sustanon 250, is marketing a weight gain drug for starving children in 3rd world countries called ‘Fertabolin’. It’s an anabolic steroid contained in a sweet-tasting oral syrup!

I think that if Fish Oil works better than ADD drugs, then yes, there definitely are better natural alternatives out there for children and people who are diagnosed with this ‘disorder’.
[/quote]

I promise the world is in fact, not out to get you.

16

ADD, ADHD, that ish makes me laugh…
When did these disorders start to appear?

Funny, how a kid can have ADD, but they play XBOX, PSP, or PS2 and play that game for hours if not days…

And now, they have some type of disorder for a hyperactive foot or leg…

17

Sooo do you like the place you live in? How about your method of transportation? What about that running water? If so, stop knocking capitalism.

18

[quote]wires wrote:
Cthulhu wrote:
I agree with everything you said.
Children shouldn’t be taking these dangerous drugs.
All they are is legalized dope.
I wish people would educate themselves on how corrupt the FDA really are.
They don’t do their job well.
They regulate dangerous,deadly,toxic drugs KNOWINGLY putting them on the market knowing they cause disease and other health problems.
All they want is money,and to stay in business.
And they’ll do whatever it takes.
They won’t even make food companies take out trans fat(which I believe can cause ADHD symptoms too).
There are even food additives that can cause ADD and MS symptoms in children!
They won’t make these dangerous chemicals that is being put in our food supply illegal because all they want is money,and they get paid off by other companies to do so.

I wish people would start realizing how dangerous this really is.

Cthulhu

Welcome to the truth about capitalism.[/quote]

Sadly.

19

Haha ok so now that my rants are over, thank you for the well-intended advice! I agree with most everything posted here thus far (aside from the capitalism thing) and parents do need to watch what their kids are eating.

I’m not sure what caused my ADD, but it only got pronounced, as I got older. It mainly only started affecting me about mid way through college. Trust me this is not just a perceived thing, I hate taking medicine, esp. something like Ritalin. Thus is why I am willing to try anything that is a healthier route.

Adderal and Ritalin are also the worst thing to take when you are trying to gain muscle and weight as they take away any ability to eat for a long period of time.

20

[quote]Cthulhu wrote:
It’s great to see a mother who takes pride in what her kids eat.
Is your son still on ADD medication?
If so,what brand is he using.
Alsom,I think you’d be better off givng him 4-8 fish oil a day.
It’s absorbed much better that way.[/quote]

Thanks. I try very hard to make sure he & my daughter eat well. (Getting my daughter to eat a veggie, however, would take an act of God. lol! But we’re getting there!)

He was never on medication. I refuse to drug him up when I know his diet was largely to blame.

In addition to diet, he also displays those same behaviors when he’s exposed to strong odors, be it perfume that someone took a bath in or the off-gassing from the new carpet and paint in our new apartment. (That’s been a nightmare for the last month, let me tell you!) I can’t always control what smells he’s exposed to, but I can control his diet.

I’ll up his fish oil intake. Thanks.